BMW 530i - What's the point?

maidhc

fletch wrote:

I enjoy them for quiet motorway cruising, 75mph = 2,200rpm in my 1.9TDI . The equivalent capacity petrol engine would be over 3,000rpm.

The best reason of all to buy a diesel would be reliability. The old non-common rail diesels were simply indestructible, and would start in spite of your best efforts... all you need is a bit of compression and a bit of fuel (any fuel) and you are away.

If ever we do have a day after tomorrow scenario, the old VW Golf and Merc 123/4 diesels will be selling for bigger money than the 545i does today!

Owen

fletch wrote:

I enjoy them for quiet motorway cruising, 75mph = 2,200rpm in my 1.9TDI . The equivalent capacity petrol engine would be over 3,000rpm.

How is a diesel quieter than a petrol? Diesel, even refined diesels are much more pronounced than a petrol engine, and even though the dB ratings would be close (JK confirmed this when testing the 535d on top gear), it's the lower pitch, and harsher noise of the diesel that makes it much more apparent, and grating than a petrol engine. A petrol engine runnng at 3krpm really isn't much more louder than a petrol engine running at 3krpm either.

richie_rvf

Diesel cars have much more sound proofing than petrol cars, they need it as the engines are noisier due to the higher compression ratio and the self igniting nature of the fuel.

My car sits at below 2500 at 75mph

Richie.

fletch

richie_rvf wrote:

Diesel cars have much more sound proofing than petrol cars, they need it as the engines are noisier due to the higher compression ratio and the self igniting nature of the fuel.

My car sits at below 2500 at 75mph

Richie.

You do drive a 5.0 V8 though

I just find mine very relaxed on the motorway, but yeh it sounds like a bag of spanners on startup

richie_rvf

fletch wrote:

but yeh it sounds like a bag of spanners on startup

So does mine

fletch

richie_rvf wrote:

So does mine

I doubt that very much

michaelanthony

mike65 wrote:

Changing gear is for poor people.

Any big derv BMW should be an auto.

Mike.

I did not want to say this cos people probably would take offence but it is true that manuals are for povs!!!

maidhc

michaelanthony wrote:

I did not want to say this cos people probably would take offence but it is true that manuals are for povs!!!

And for those who like the driving experience of a Volvo Bus!

kdevitt

mike65 wrote:

Changing gear is for poor people.

...and people under a certain age who still have the hips they were born with

Cyrus

im a 530i owner albeit an e39, never considered the 530d,

few factors, i do 8k miles per year max so mpg isnt a major issues, sounds from a 6cyl bmw petrol is wonderful, 530i is noticeably faster than a stock 530d, and i dont like diesel clatter and they ALL have it

unkel

Cyrus wrote:

i do 8k miles per year max so mpg isnt a major issues

Low mileage and a low second hand price mean it's probably cheaper to run a 530i second hand!

The 530i is only pointless when buying it new

michaelanthony

The sound out of it alone justifies it's existence.

Mr. Larson

Thanks for all the insightful posts... has been very interesting reading and has defintely changed my thinking on the two. Not only can I now clearly see the point of the 530i (on reflection it was probably ill informed to question it's raison d'être and probably offiensive to 530i owners) but I'd probably plumb for the 530i now over the 530d if anything....

but I've decided to go for a Skoda Octavia instead.;)

Owen

Jabberwocky wrote:

but I've decided to go for a Skoda Octavia instead.;)

In fairness, it does have a massive boot!

E92

MarkN wrote:

Get yourself into a 3.0TDI VAG V6 car or a BMW 335D and come back and tell me it's slow.

Indeed, in case anyone has forgotten, the 335d has the same power as the original E28 M5 and E36 M3 had. I've never heard anyone describe either of these cars as slow.

The new 123d has only 6 bhp less than the original E30 M3.

I would say to the OP drive both of them, and make up your mind on that.

By the way, the E60 530i before the 07 facelift had 231 bhp(04 and start of 05) or 258 bhp after that, the 530d had 218 bhp in 04and start of 05, and 233 bhp afterwards.

Before the E60 got its facelift, the 530i did around the 30-31 mpg mark, and the 530d did around 39 mpg, so the benefits of Petrol power ironically have only increased this year.

unkel

ned78 wrote:

In fairness, it does have a massive boot!

LOL

Yeah not even a BMW can beat that boot